Dharamshala: Five Bodies Recovered from Khaniyara’s Manuuni Stream; Three Workers Still Missing

Dharamshala, June 27:
Search and rescue operations continue for the third consecutive day in Khaniyara village, Kangra district, after a devastating flash flood struck the Manuuni stream near a hydro project site on June 25. Of the eight workers swept away during the incident, five bodies have now been recovered by teams from the NDRF and SDRF. Search efforts are still underway for the remaining three missing workers.

On Thursday, three more bodies were pulled from the stream, following the recovery of two bodies on Wednesday. The process of identifying the deceased has been completed. The victims have been identified as:

• Chain Singh (20), son of Mulk Raj, resident of Kumadi Bhalla, Doda (Jammu & Kashmir)

• Aditya Thakur, son of Shiv Kumar, resident of Rakh village, Chamba district (Himachal Pradesh)

• Chandan, son of Pradeep, resident of Sohanpur, Uttar Pradesh

• Pradeep Verma, son of Ramkant Verma, resident of Sohanpur, Deoria (Uttar Pradesh)

• Sanjay, son of Harbans, resident of Pankura, Post Office Nangal, Tehsil Fatehpur, Nurpur, Kangra district (Himachal Pradesh)

One worker, Lovely from Chamba, miraculously survived. Recounting his harrowing experience, he said that as the water level rose rapidly, the workers tried to flee, but most were swept away within seconds. “I ran toward the forest and spent the entire night hiding. I was terrified and thought I wouldn’t survive. Thankfully, the local administration found me in the morning and rescued me,” he said.

Kangra ASP Shalini Agnihotri confirmed the recovery of five bodies and stated that the search for the remaining three workers is ongoing. An Orange Alert has been issued for June 27 and 28, warning of heavy rainfall. She urged locals and tourists to stay away from rivers and streams during this period.

Despite challenging weather, strong currents, and difficult terrain, rescue teams remain stationed at the site, committed to locating the missing individuals. Authorities continue to closely monitor the situation and have appealed to the public to remain vigilant and avoid unnecessary risks.